Department for Transport

Ports: Roads

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Highways England road schemes being progressed through Road Investment Strategies 1 and 2 will improve connectivity to major ports in England.

baroness sugg: Many of the major schemes in the first Road Investment Strategy either directly or indirectly improve connectivity to major ports in England. Some specific examples are set out below. A5036 Port of LiverpoolA160/A180 ImminghamA63 Castle Street (Hull)M271/A35 Redbridge roundabout upgrade (Southampton)M49 Avonmouth Her Majesty’s Government’s decisions about which road schemes to take foreword in the second Road Investment Strategy will be based on deliverability, affordability and the extent to which they meet the five key aims for the network, which include integration with other transport modes such as ports.

Ports: Roads

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent they consider the study of England's port connectivity when making future road scheme investment decisions.

baroness sugg: Her Majesty’s Government’s decisions about which road schemes to progress are based on deliverability, affordability and the extent to which they meet the five key aims for the network post-2020 set out in its Planning Ahead publication Integration, including linking the strategic road network to ports, airports and rail, is one of those five key aims. The Government’s recent Port Connectivity study contributes evidence to decision-making for the second Road Investment Strategy.

Lower Thames Crossing

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Lower Thames Crossing will enhance connectivity to the (1) Channel Tunnel, (2) Port of Dover, (3) Port of Felixstowe, (4) Port of Tilbury, and (5) DP World Gateway; and if so, how.

baroness sugg: The Lower Thames Crossing creates a new link between the A2 and the M25, reducing the burden on the busy Dartford Crossing. This improves many journeys terminating in or passing through the South East and East of England, thereby enhancing connectivity to the (1) Channel Tunnel, (2) Port of Dover, (3) Port of Felixstowe, (4) Port of Tilbury and (5) DP World Gateway.

Ports: Roads

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the possible disruption of cargo flows through the Channel ports as a result of the UK leaving the EU is a material consideration when deciding which new road schemes to progress, particularly those that will enhance connectivity to other major English ports.

baroness sugg: Her Majesty’s Government’s objective is to ensure frictionless movement through our ports is as frictionless as possible, whatever the outcome of the negotiations with the EU. However, we are investing in schemes that will improve reliability of routes connecting ports to accommodate disruption whatever the cause. Highways England will shortly start the consultation process on a permanent solution for Operation Stack and, from early 2019, it will implement a contraflow scheme that can be deployed between junctions 8 to 9 of the M20, to alleviate serious disruption to cross-Channel traffic and its impact on residents and businesses in Kent.

Roads: Capital Investment

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whethertrade will be factored into the assessment criteria for deciding which road schemes to progress; and if so, when.

baroness sugg: Her Majesty’s Government recognises the important role played by strategic roads in supporting trade. This is why we are investing over £15bn in the network between 2015 and 2021, and dedicating resources raised through Vehicle Excise Duty in England to a National Roads Fund beyond 2020 to provide long-term funding stability. Decisions about which road schemes to progress are based on deliverability, affordability and meeting the five key aims for the network post 2020. These are supporting the economy – including trade and getting goods to and from ports – as well as network capability, safety, integration and the environment.

Lower Thames Crossing

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the decision by Highways England to remove the Tilbury link road from the Lower Thames Crossing scheme was made; and on what basis that decision was made.

baroness sugg: A link from the crossing to Tilbury port was not included in the April 2017 preferred route announcement and has not been considered formally by Ministers. This proposal was developed by Highways England, a government owned company, and was included in the project’s design update in November 2017. These updates are designed to assist transparency and informed debate about the project. They reflect Highways England’s latest thinking, rather than a definitive view on the project’s ultimate design. At this time, no decision has been made on the case or otherwise for a new link to the port of Tilbury. There will be a further opportunity for people to have their say on the proposals through a second public consultation in Autumn 2018. An open and transparent consultation process will be undertaken, giving everyone, especially the local community, the opportunity to influence the design of the proposed scheme.

East Coast Rail Franchise

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what remit they have agreed with the operator of the East Coast Main Line franchise.

baroness sugg: London North Eastern Railway (LNER) franchise agreement will be published to gov.uk website as are all current franchise agreements. There will be no change to train services and passengers should experience the same benefits.

East Coast Rail Franchise

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government who are the members of the management team responsible for the new East Coast Main Line franchise.

baroness sugg: The executive members of the current Virgin Trains East Coast board are all eligible to transfer to London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006. Any additional appointments to the LNER board and to the Board of its holding company will be announced in due course.

Southern: Standards

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of Southern Rail is owned by SNCF; and whether they have made any representations to the government of France about the poor performance of Southern Rail.

baroness sugg: Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), who run Southern, is 65% owned by go-ahead and 35% owned by Keolis. Based in France, Keolis is 70% owned by SNCF. The government is in regular communication with GTR, the operator about performance.

Train Operating Companies

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many train operating companies are currently operating on UK rail routes; of those, how many are foreign-owned; and whether this proportion is of concern.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport (DfT) have franchise contracts with 15 of the Train Operating Companies (TOCs) in the UK. Other TOCs operating on UK rail routes have contracts which are let by devolved or Local Authority bodies or are open access operators. All the 15 TOCs franchised by DfT are limited companies registered in the UK and as such will be liable for UK tax. Of those 15 companies, seven are ultimately owned by foreign entities; three are part owned by foreign entities and part owned by UK entities; and five are owned by UK entities. Franchises are let to a range of bidders based in a variety of different countries via fair and open competition with strict qualification criteria. Our franchising system as a whole has delivered great benefits to passengers, including new private investment totalling £6.4 billion over the last 11 years.

Bus Services: Expenditure

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 2 May (HL7495), what assessment they have made of whether any additional money has been spent on supporting local bus services when the devolved amount of the Bus Service Operators Grant and the reductions in local authority spending are taken together.

baroness sugg: Decisions on subsidised bus services are a matter for individual English local authorities, in the light of their other spending priorities. Government also provides almost £1 billion of funding for Concessionary Travel every year and remains committed to protecting the current scheme. In March 2015, the Department for Transport allocated £7.6m to 37 pilot schemes run by local authorities in England to pilot Total Transport solutions in their areas to explore how existing funding and resources for services could be allocated and co-ordinated more efficiently.

Network Rail

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, or intend to make, of the impact of the proposed sale of National Rail's non-operational portfolio on small businesses and local economies; and whether they are considering sale plans involving purchase by regional, combined and local authorities.

baroness sugg: Network Rail launched the sale of its commercial estate last November. Once the business is sold, current leases will transfer to the new owner and all lease arrangements and protections will be unchanged. The tenants’ rent review terms will continue as per their original lease agreement. Discussions about future lease arrangements will be a matter between tenants and the new owner.  Network Rail has conducted an open and competitive tender process for the sale and will select the bidder who best meets its sales objectives - to preserve the safety and operational integrity of the railway and deliver value for money.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Burma: Armed Conflict

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Burma regarding the recent escalation of military violence against civilians in Kachin and Shan states; and what efforts they have made to ensure the protection of civilians displaced by conflict.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Ambassador to Burma raised the UK's deep concerns about the treatment of civilians in Kachin State during the current military offensive in a meeting with the Commander in Chief of Burma's military on 3 May In a statement on 11 May, the Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific also expressed concern about the latest military offensive in Kachin. He called on the Burmese military to fulfil its duty to respect international humanitarian law, ensure access for humanitarian organisations and allow the 2,000 civilians trapped by the fighting to leave to safe areas. He also called on all parties to the conflict to cease fighting, protect civilians, and return fully to peace talks.

Hong Kong: Human Rights

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the conviction of (1) Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-Ching on the charge of illegal assembly while they were conducting their duties in the Hong Kong Legislative Council, and (2) Edward Leung on charges of rioting.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use by Chinese authorities of legal means, such as pressing for maximum prison sentences, to supress the democracy movement in Hong Kong.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of criminal charges brought against pro-democracy members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council since 2014.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In the most recent Six Monthly Report to Parliament, published on 15 March, the Foreign Secretary said “The rule of law and independence of the judiciary is the foundation on which Hong Kong’s success and prosperity is built. This reporting period has seen a large number of cases related to the political system come before Hong Kong’s courts, including the disqualification of a further four legislators. The judiciary in Hong Kong remains in high esteem. It will be vital that the Hong Kong SAR Government is seen to use the system of justice fairly in all cases.” The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will continue to monitor closely developments related to the prosecutions of pro-democracy legislators. There are ongoing legal proceedings in some of these cases, and it would not be appropriate to comment on them.

Iran: Capital Punishment

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the UN for an investigation to be launched in the concealment, damage and destruction of mass graves in Iran, as recommended by Amnesty International and Justice for Iran in their report Criminal Cover-up: Iran destroying mass graves of victims of 1988 killings.

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran (1) about the destruction and damage of mass graves of victims of extrajudicial executions in 1988 and the harassment and persecution of their families, and (2) to encourage it to recognise publicly such mass graves as crime scenes, as called for by Amnesty International and Justice for Iran in their report Criminal Cover-up: Iran destroying mass graves of victims of 1988 killings.

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran to cease any destruction or damage of the mass graves of individuals who were forcibly disappeared and executed in 1988 and to ensure that such graves are preserved and protected until independent, forensic investigations can be carried out, as recommended by Amnesty International and Justice for Iran in their report Criminal Cover-up: Iran destroying mass graves of victims of 1988 killings.

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran about bringing those responsible for the extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances of Iranians in 1988 to justice in fair proceedings without recourse to the death penalty, as recommended by Amnesty International and Justice for Iran in their report Criminal Cover-up: Iran destroying mass graves of victims of 1988 killings.

lord carlile of berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran about disclosing the locations of the victims of the 1988 prison killings.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. When a new Special Rapporteur is appointed, we will call on Iran to grant them access so they can investigate human rights concerns reported there, including the 1988 executions and the recent destruction of mass graves. We also raise our human rights concerns directly with the Iranian Government; the Foreign Secretary did so with his Iranian counterpart during his visit to Tehran in December and the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa discussed human rights concerns with his Iranian counterpart in London in February. While at present we have no plans to request an inquiry by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights into the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran or the recent destruction of mass graves, we continue to take action with the international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran, including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran.

Syria: Armed Conflict

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of civilian casualties arising from recent Syrian and Russian airstrikes on the Palestinian Yarmouk camp near Damascus.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by reports of civilian casualties in the Yarmouk Camp as a result of the Syrian regime offensive. The UK does not have an estimate for the number of civilian casualties.

Syria: Armed Conflict

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights concerning the humanitarian situation in the Yarmouk camp.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We raise our concerns about the human rights situation across Syria during our meetings with Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. In March, the High Commissioner briefed Security Council members on Syria at the UK and likeminded countries' request.

Syria: Armed Conflict

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have referred the situation of the siege of the Yarmouk camp to the UN Security Council.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have used our position in the UN Security Council to call upon the regime to cease any indiscriminate attacks, to protect civilians and to allow rapid and unhindered humanitarian access, including to Yarmouk and the surrounding areas. We have done this most recently in the UN Security Council consultations on the humanitarian situation in Syria on 25 April.

Syria: Armed Conflict

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible commission of crimes against humanity based on the assaults on the residents of the Yarmouk camp.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by the reports of civilian casualties in the Yarmouk Camp as a result of the Syrian regime offensive. It is for the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which we support, to investigate violations of international humanitarian law, including those that may constitute crimes against humanity.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports of Israeli soldiers shooting clearly marked medical personnel tending wounded Palestinians during the protests on 14 May.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) police non-violent protests and the border areas, including use of live ammunition. The Foreign Secretary raised the high number of casualties with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 16 May. We call directly on Israel to make clear its intentions and to carry out what must be a transparent inquiry into the IDF's conduct at the border fence, including demonstrating how this will achieve a sufficient level of independence.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports of Israeli soldiers shooting press representatives and children during the protests on 14 May.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) police non-violent protests and the border areas, including use of live ammunition. The Foreign Secretary raised the high number of casualties with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 16 May. We call directly on Israel to make clear its intentions and to carry out what must be a transparent inquiry into the IDF's conduct at the border fence, including demonstrating how this will achieve a sufficient level of independence.

Israel: Arms Trade

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the use of arms approved for sale to Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government takes its defence exports responsibilities extremely seriously and operates some of the most robust export controls in the world. We assess all applications very carefully against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and human rights and international humanitarian law considerations are important parts of that assessment. We continue to keep the situation under constant review. We have no information to suggest that UK supplied equipment has been used against protesters. While we do not question the right of Israel to defend its borders, the use of live fire and the resulting loss of life is deeply troubling.

Omar Shakir

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the deportation of Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine Director, Human Rights Watch.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​It is ultimately up to Israel to determine its immigration policy. The UK's immigration policy is similarly protected. Nevertheless, we raised our concerns regarding this case with the Israeli authorities on 22 May.

Spain: Gibraltar Airport

lord hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Spain about the provision of an access point from the Spanish side of the border into Gibraltar Airport.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government does not intend to provide a running commentary on official-level discussions. However, the UK's well-known and longstanding positions on a range of issues are clear, including support for the 2006 Cordoba Agreement.The UK continues to engage constructively with the Government of Gibraltar and our European partners, including Spain, to address the practical implications arising from our EU exit. We are confident all sides are committed to finding a mutually agreeable resolution benefitting everyone living and working in the region.

Turkey: Cluster Munitions

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to discuss with the government of Turkey, through NATO and other channels, its alleged use of illegal cluster-weapons, in particular at Shushane village and near the city of Erbil in northern Iraq; and whether they will report the result of those discussions to Parliament.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We monitor the situation in northern Syria and Iraq closely, and carefully consider any reports of breaches of International Humanitarian Law or the Law of Armed Conflict. We regularly discuss ongoing Turkish operations with Turkish officials, and raise concerns that are credible and substantiated. We will consider carefully any representations on specific, substantiated allegations of use of banned or treaty-limited munitions by Turkish forces. To date we have received no such representations.

Convention on Cluster Munitions

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of Turkey and other non-signatories about the ratification of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK calls on any states not already party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions to accede without delay. The UK has made a number of statements in support of the Convention and its comprehensive ban on cluster munitions, including at the UN General Assembly, most recently during First Committee debates in October 2017. The practical implementation of the Convention by a greater number of states will yield the most lasting humanitarian benefit.

Turkey: Election Observers

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theOrganisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe and other independent agencies will be sending observers to monitor the elections in Turkey on 24 June.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Both the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are mounting electoral observer missions to monitor the Turkish parliamentary and presidential elections. The UK welcomes these efforts, and is providing practical support to the mission of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Nuclear Weapons

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the short and long-term consequences for the UK and Europe of any collapse of the 1987 US–Russian Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty; and what consultation they have had with other European governments to seek to avert such an eventuality and to mitigate its implications.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty has made a valuable contribution to Euro-Atlantic security for over 30 years. The Treaty eliminates Russian and US ground-launched missiles with ranges from 500 km to 5,500 km. Neither the US nor Russia has said that they wish to denounce the Treaty, or what they would do if it were no longer in force. We welcome efforts by the US and other NATO Allies to preserve the Treaty.We have discussed the Treaty with our NATO Allies on many occasions at both Ministerial and official level. The Treaty remains important for security in Europe. NATO has urged Russia to resolve serious concerns about its compliance with the Treaty. NATO remains the world's largest military alliance, and we remain completely confident in its ability to deter and defend against, all threats.

Cyprus: Politics and Government

lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to continue to honour the UK’s responsibilities as a guarantor power under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee; whether they consider the Treaty still to be binding on the UK and other signatories; and if not, why the Treaty failed; and (1) when, and (2) where, any member of the Cabinet, including the Prime Minister, has met with (a) the President of Cyprus, or (b) the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, in the last 30 years.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government considers the Treaty of Guarantee to be binding on all its signatories. The UK's principal responsibility under the Treaty of Guarantee is to recognise and guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus. The Government fulfils this responsibility through supporting the UN-facilitated settlement process, which is aimed at achieving a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality as defined by the relevant Security Council resolutions. Information on meetings between members of the Cabinet and the Leaders of the two Cypriot communities in the last 30 years is not held centrally and could only therefore be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Prime Minister met with President Anastasiades in London on 17 April 2018 during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and more recently in the margins of the Western Balkans summit in Sofia on 17 May 2018. The Foreign Secretary last met with the Leaders of the two Cypriot communities at the Conference on Cyprus in Crans Montana, Switzerland on 27 June 2017.

Cyprus: Offshore Industry

lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the principle that all Cypriots should benefit equally from any potential income from oil and gas reserves adjacent to the island of Cyprus; and what is their policy towards the proposals for oil and gas sharing made by EU Member States, including Greece and Italy, and Israel, which may prevent Turkish Cypriots from benefiting equally from such income.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has long recognised the sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus to exploit the natural resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone, and we want to see exploration go ahead. We believe Cyprus' hydrocarbons should be developed for the benefit of all Cypriots, and urge all parties to look for ways by which the development of hydrocarbons can support the search for a settlement.

China: Human Rights

lord ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of human rights and religious rights in China.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have concerns about restrictions on civil and political freedoms in China, particularly around ethnic minority rights; the death penalty; and freedom of expression, association and assembly. We also remain concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief. We are aware of reports of the closure or demolition of places of worship, of the removal of religious symbols, and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs across China.The Prime Minister raised human rights when she visited China in February 2018. We raise the full range of our human rights concerns in China at the UK/China human rights dialogue, which last took place in Beijing in June 2017.

China: Religious Freedom

lord ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allegationsof the brainwashing of Muslims in internment programmes in China.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware of reports of significant numbers of individuals being detained by the Chinese authorities in re-education camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Our Embassy in Beijing has not been able to directly verify these reports: however my officials will continue to monitor the situation in Xinjiang closely.We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in China, particularly in Xinjiang. We raised our concerns with the Chinese authorities at the last UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, which took place in Beijing in June 2017. We will seek to raise them again at the next UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, which is due to take place later this year.

Colombia: Dams

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Colombia about the flooding of the Hidroituango hydro-electric dam scheduled for 1 July, given its possible impact on access to evidence by family members of victims of war crimes who may be buried in the area.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is aware of reports of blockages to the flow of the Cauca River caused by landslides in the area of the Hidroituango dam project. Details are unclear, but it is up to the Colombian authorities to decide how to respond to the risk of flooding in affected areas. The British Embassy in Bogota is monitoring the situation closely.

Colombia: Human Rights

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, or are planning to make, to the government of Colombia regarding the recent killings of two environmental human rights defenders from the Rios Vivos non-governmental organisation.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We condemn the killings of Luis Alberto Torres Montoya and his brother Duvián Andrés Correa Sánchez on 8 May. Both were active members of the Antioquia Ríos Vivos organisation which champions the rights of local communities.Through our advocacy and project work the UK has supported the work of human rights defenders in Colombia. The British Ambassador in Bogota raised our concern about levels of violence against human rights defenders most recently with the Colombian Defence Minister on 11 May. We also raised these concerns during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Colombia's human rights on 10 May in Geneva. During the review, Colombia also accepted UK recommendations to improve protective measures for human rights defenders.

Burundi: Politics and Government

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Burundi following the Constitutional Referendum there on 17 May.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Officials, including our non-resident Ambassador, hold regular consultations with the Burundi Government. In UN Security Council consultations, following the referendum, the UK expressed concern over the restrictions imposed on the Opposition’s movement and on the media in the period leading up to the referendum. The UK also expressed concern that the referendum was held in a climate of intimidation and repression, with a lack of public information on the proposed reforms. The UK called on Burundi to ensure that the spirit of the Arusha Accords is respected when any constitutional reform is implemented. The UK believes that the crisis in Burundi can only be resolved by continuing an inclusive dialogue that preserves the Accords. We are working with UN, EU and African Union partners to support an inclusive, negotiated solution.

Northern Ireland Office

Civil Servants: Northern Ireland

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the absence of a First and deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland, who is the Head of the Northern Ireland civil service currently accountable to.

lord duncan of springbank: The Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service is primarily accountable to the First Minister and deputy First Minister. This line of accountability has not been altered or replaced as a consequence of the ongoing lack of an Executive. This Government is committed to redoubling our efforts to restore the Executive and Assembly as soon as possible.

Department of Health and Social Care

Surgical Mesh Implants

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the time allowed for cases of clinical negligence to be brought on behalf of women harmed by pelvic mesh; and what assessment they have made of the number of women so affected, and of their exposure to debilitating side-effects.

lord o'shaughnessy: There is currently no plan to extend the limit in medical negligence cases specifically for mesh-injured patients.Under section 11 of the Limitation Act 1980 a patient is able to bring a claim for damages for clinical negligence against a trust or any other healthcare provider within three years from the date of injury. However, this can be longer if the patient is a child, when the three year period only begins on his/her eighteenth birthday; the patient has a mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983 so as to be incapable of managing his/ her own affairs, when the three year period is suspended; or there was an interval before the patient realised or could reasonably have found out that he/she had suffered a significant injury possibly related to his/her treatment.The ‘date of knowledge’ of an injury could be a number of years after the treatment. In recognition that there may be some cases where the prescribed period is inadequate, the Limitation Act 1980 also gives the court discretion to disapply the limitation period in respect of claims for personal injuries when it considers it just and equitable to do so.NHS Digital’s Retrospective Review of Surgery for Urogynaecological Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence using Tape or Mesh, found for mesh insertion procedures for urogynaecological prolapse, between 2008/09 to 2016/17, 27,016 patients had a reported mesh insertion procedure for urogynaecological prolapse. There were only three reported readmissions for a removal procedure within 30 days of the identified insertion procedure. For patients who had a removal procedure more than 30 days after their initial insertion, the highest rate of readmissions occurs in the reporting year following the insertion. Patients who had an insertion in 2008/09 had a removal rate of 3.9 patients per 1,000 in 2009/10, but for patients who had an insertion in 2015/16, their removal rate was lower at 1.8 patients per 1,000 in 2016/17. The rate fluctuates for patients who had an insertion in the intervening reporting years. A summary of the report is attached.



Retrospective Review of Surgery
(PDF Document, 854.66 KB)

Speech and Language Disorders

lord ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the effectiveness of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Tool in identifying speech, language and communication needs.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has no current plans to review the effectiveness of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Tool to identify speech, language and communication needs in the children and young people’s secure estate.NHS England has commissioned Manchester University to review use of the Tool across 14 Secure Children’s Homes, three Secure Training Centres and four Young Offender Institutions. This includes consideration of the quality of the assessments being completed and the processes and procedures set up to support the Comprehensive Health Assessment Tool. The review will report on overarching themes and individual site reports, each containing an action plan and recommendations. It is intended that this process will enable identification of key themes for NHS England to consider as well as individual site reports, each containing an action plan and recommendations.

Diabetes: Health Education

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessyon 16 April (HL6830), how many people accessed diabetes education programmes in (1) each Clinical Commissioning Group, and (2) across the country, in the most recent year for which data are available.

lord o'shaughnessy: The most recent National Diabetes Audit publication reports the number of people with diabetes who were offered a diabetes structured education programme within 12 months of diagnosis and the number who attended a programme within 12 months of diagnosis, by diabetes type.Information showing the number of people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and type 2 and other diabetes who were offered/attended a structured education programme within 12 months of diagnosis in each clinical commissioning group in the year 2015 is attached, due to the size of the data.Data in the following table shows the total number of people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and type 2 and other diabetes who were offered/attended a structured education programme within 12 months of diagnosis in England and Wales.Type 1 diabetesCalendar YearOrganisationNewly diagnosedOffered within 12 months of diagnosisAttended within 12 months of diagnosis2015England7,3453,0302452015Wales4351705 Type 2 and other diabetesCalendar YearOrganisationNewly diagnosedOffered within 12 months of diagnosisAttended within 12 months of diagnosis2015England194,640150,44014,4952015Wales12,1908,780160 Source: National Diabetes Audit 2016-17NHS Digital has advised that caution should be taken when using programme attendance figures, as it is believed that poor recording within primary care systems means that the apparently low rates of attendance at structured education programmes are an underestimate.



HL8078 data formatted
(Word Document, 92.6 KB)

Diabetes: Health Education

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 16 April (HL6830), what consideration they have given to utilising technology, including apps, better to deliver diabetes education.

lord o'shaughnessy: £1.5 million is being made available by NHS England in 2018/19 and 2019/20 through the NHS Test Bed Programme to implement and evaluate digital delivery models for self-management support and education for people living with type 2 diabetes. Further, NHS England will be investing £10.5 million in 2018/19 to improve provision and uptake of structured education through the Transformation Fund bidding process. Up to 25% of these funds can be used to commission digital approaches, subject to the receipt of appropriate plans.A new website on NHS.UK will be launched in July which is aimed at people living with type 1 diabetes. This will focus on empowering people to self-manage their condition. Individuals visiting the site will be able to access remote personalised digital education content from Diabetes UK and an on-line education programme developed by Bournemouth Diabetes Centre.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to ensure equitable access to (1) insulin pumps, and (2) other diabetes technologies, across England.

lord o'shaughnessy: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning diabetes services to meet the requirements of their population. In doing so, CCGs need to ensure that the services they provide are fit for purpose, reflect the needs of the local population and are based on the available evidence and take into account national guidelines. This should include consideration of access to insulin pumps and other diabetes technologies for people with diabetes who might benefit from them.

Diabetes: Preventive Medicine

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the recent diabetes prevention week in April, (1) how many people participated, (2) what plans they have to build on the programme in 2019, and (3) whether they will share learning from the programme with colleagues in the Welsh Government and across the devolved nations to encourage UK-wide roll-out.

lord o'shaughnessy: The first Diabetes Prevention Week took place from 16-22 April 2018. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme with the public and healthcare professionals, specifically general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses, and of the causes, complications and at-risk groups of type 2 diabetes.Engagement with the campaign from across the country was high – nearly 5,000 Diabetes Prevention Week toolkits were ordered in just over a month. The majority of the toolkits were sent to our target locations, GP practices, but there is also evidence that the toolkits were being used in the wider community setting with orders coming in from local councils, libraries and pharmacies. NHS England is at the early stage of planning a further Diabetes Prevention week in 2019. There were 6,694 completions of the Diabetes ‘Know Your Risk’ tool in Diabetes Prevention Week. This is up 223.69% on the previous month, and 167.55% on the previous year.An evaluation of the impact of Diabetes Prevention week is being produced which can be made available to the devolved administrations.

NHS: Handbooks

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 25 January (HL4794), what amendments they have made, or intend to make, to the wording on patient responsibilities to the NHS in the NHS Constitution Handbook.

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is responsible for amendments to the NHS Constitution Handbook; and what is the process for determining such changes.

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how amendments to the NHS Constitution Handbook are communicated to patients.

lord o'shaughnessy: In accordance with the Health Act 2009 we are currently reviewing the handbook that accompanies the NHS Constitution and will publish a revised version in summer 2018. As the handbook is an explanatory document, and cannot alter the NHS Constitution itself, this is a technical update that will bring the handbook up to date with policy developments since it was last published in 2015. Changes will be based largely on contributions provided from within the Department, from NHS England and from Public Health England.As we set out in response to recommendations on National Health Service sustainability made by the House of Lords, we are looking particularly closely at the section in the handbook that explains patient responsibilities in the NHS Constitution. We will include a stronger statement about the role that patients and the public can play in supporting NHS sustainability by looking after their own health, adopting healthy behaviours, and making appropriate use of NHS resources. We will also point out where there is further information on the NHS website.When the revised handbook is published, we will encourage NHS England, Public Health England and other stakeholders – including Healthwatch England as the independent national champion for people who use health and social care services – to promote it through their extensive networks. We will also publicise it through the NHS Constitution Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Drugs: Marketing

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had with the UK Medicines Verification Organisation about its policy of requiring companies who are Marketing Authorisation Holders to pay identical (1) set up, and (2) annual operational, fees regardless of the size of those companies; and what assessmentthey have made of the impact ofthat policy on the competitiveness of smaller companies.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to hold discussions with the UK Medicines Verification Organisation about the need to ensure that the (1) set up, and (2) annual operational, fees paid by companies who are Marketing Authorisation Holders are proportional to the size of those companies.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to hold discussions with the UK Medicines Verification Organisation on the need to benchmark the (1) set up, and (2) annual operational, fees paid by companies who are Marketing Authorisation Holders with National Medicines Verification Organisations in other comparable European countries such as France and Germany.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will hold discussions with the UK Medicines Verification Organisation about the need to extend the period of time in which small companies are able to access discounts on the Marketing Authorisation Holders set up fee beyond February 2019.

lord o'shaughnessy: SecurMed, the United Kingdom’s National Medicines Verification Organisation, is responsible for the fee model and level of fees. In their supervisory capacity, the Department and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have been involved in discussions with SecurMed to challenge and seek to influence the pricing model to ensure that the UK’s fee structure is fair and proportionate.The European Commission has confirmed that the fee model being used by SecurMed is in line with the majority of other National Medicines Verification Organisations across the European Union.However, in light of feedback on the potential impact of the proposed level of fees for smaller companies, SecurMed has announced an annual fee waiver scheme for the Marketing Authorisation Holders (MAH) Set up Fee and Annual MAH Operational Fee applicable to those MAH or Parallel Distributor legal entities who can demonstrate that they are a micro MAH in the relevant year.There continues to be on-going efforts at a national and European level to ensure that fee models take into account the specific situation of small companies.

Mental Health Services

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessyon 15 May (HL7468), upon what scientific evidence the promotion of cognitive behaviour therapy and graded exercise therapy in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme is based;and what assessment they have made of recovery rates for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome from pilot programmes of such therapies.

lord o'shaughnessy: The inclusion of these therapies is based on National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. NICE is the independent expert body responsible for developing robust, evidence based guidance for the National Health Service. In 2007, NICE published a guideline on the management of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in adults and children that sets out best practice on the treatment and support of patients. The guidance recommended cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) as appropriate treatments for mild to moderate CFS/ME, in line with the best available evidence from eight randomised controlled trials. A copy of the guidance, Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy): diagnosis and management, is attached.Information concerning the assessment of recovery rates for patients with CFS/ME accessing CBT or GET through Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services is not available.



HL8135 NICE Guidance CFS ME 2007
(PDF Document, 941.1 KB)

Hepatitis

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that there is a comprehensive and measurable hepatitis C elimination plan in place, with clear lines of accountability, to achieve the NHS England 2025 elimination goal.

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the NHS England target of eliminating hepatitis C by 2025 is reached.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England has embarked on a new procurement exercise that invites industry to support the plans to tackle hepatitis C as part of a longer term drug procurement contract. This procurement exercise was officially launched in March 2018. The conclusion of assessment of proposals is planned for September 2018 and NHS England anticipates the new procurement approach will be implemented from 1 October 2018. The aim of the strategic procurement is to accelerate whole systems action to reduce hepatitis C prevalence and incidence. If successful, the ambition is to support the elimination of hepatitis C as a public health threat earlier than the World Health Organization (WHO) goal of 2030 and as soon as 2025.Public Health England who lead on hepatitis C surveillance will ensure that achievements against the WHO targets in England are tracked. The National Strategic Group for Viral Hepatitis will continue to bring together stakeholders to discuss and share individual and collective actions underway to contribute to these goals.

Hepatitis

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure that currently under-served groups, such as people who inject drugs and those in prisons, are included in the elimination plan for hepatitis C.

lord o'shaughnessy: A variety of initiatives are underway in England to improve awareness and case finding, re-engagement and linkage to care, especially in drug services, primary care, prisons and accident and emergency centres. In addition, NHS England is funding access to new hepatitis C treatments in accordance with guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.As part of health services commissioned for those in detained settings, NHS England has rolled out an ambitious Opt-Out Blood Borne Viruses (BBV) testing programme. The key aim is to improve uptake rates for hepatitis C testing by the introduction of good practice for ‘meaningful offer’ of BBV testing across the adult prison estate. In this programme appropriately trained staff offer prisoners a BBV testing on an opt-out basis within 72 hours of reception in accordance with published national guidance, with referral to specialists for assessment for treatment (which can be delivered in prison or on release). This programme has been embedded across the secure estate from April 2018.The creation of 22 operational delivery networks in England to drive improvements in treatment in local areas is intended to give all patients the access to the treatment they need regardless of where they live.

Prisoners: Hepatitis

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that all new prisoners are offered a test for hepatitis C and have rapid access to care.

lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service and NHS England introduced ‘opt-out’ testing for blood-borne viruses, including hepatitis C, in prisons in the first National Partnership Agreement published in 2013 with phased implementation through a series of pathfinder prisons in three successive phases. Full implementation across the whole adult prison estate in England was concluded in financial year 2017/18, as described in the 2015 Second National Partnership Agreement. A copy of the National Partnership Agreement between: The National Offender Management Service, NHS England and Public Health England for the Co-Commissioning and Delivery of Healthcare Services in Prisons in England 2015-2016 is attached.All new consenting eligible adult receptions to prisons in England are now offered a hepatitis C test on an opt-out basis within 72 hours of reception in accordance with published national guidance; this usually occurs at second reception health screening. The standard for patients testing positive for hepatitis C is referral to specialists for assessment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral.



National Partnership Agreement 2015-16
(PDF Document, 294.82 KB)

Hepatitis: Prisoners

baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that all prisoners in England with hepatitis C can receive the treatment they require, including if they are moved between prisons or reach the end of their sentence mid-treatment.

lord o'shaughnessy: People in prison diagnosed with hepatitis C virus infection which requires treatment should be referred to specialists for assessment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral.Specialist care for hepatitis C patients diagnosed in prison is generally provided as an in-reach, consultant led service linked to the local Operational Delivery Network (ODN) and supported by a prison nurse or general practitioner with a special interest in hepatitis C.ODNs work with prison healthcare providers and NHS England commissioners to improve care pathways between prisons and the community. Treatment using new Directly Acting Antiviral medication can often be started and completed within one period of incarceration. If a patient is moved to another prison, the receiving prison healthcare team can access their records via the prison health informatics system ensuring continuity of care following patient transfer to another prison. If a prisoner is discharged back to the community before the end of their treatment, prison healthcare teams ensure that the patient is registered with a general practice and can provide a care summary record to support continuity of care.

Department for International Development

Venezuela: Overseas Aid

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support Venezuelan women and childrenduring the current shortages of food and medicine and the child malnutrition crisis identified earlier this year by UNICEF; and what oversight they have over the end use of British aid money in Venezuela.

lord bates: The UK Government has been encouraging the Venezuelan Government to address the most urgent needs of the population, including permitting external cooperation. However the Venezuelan government continues to refuse to acknowledge that there is a humanitarian crisis. The UK Government, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has a budget of approximately £500,000 this financial year to support Venezuelan democracy, human rights, economic reform, and regional stability and security. No funds are paid directly to the Government of Venezuela, or entities close to the government.

Department for Education

Apprentices: Public Bodies

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many public bodies met the target of 2.3 per cent of their workforce being apprentices by the end of the first year of the apprenticeship levy in March 2018; and for those that have not, how progress towards that target is being monitored.

lord agnew of oulton: Figures on the number of public sector apprenticeships are not yet available. Public sector bodies in scope of the public sector apprenticeships target are required annually to publish and send to the Department for Education their progress towards the target. The first reports (covering the period 2017/18) will be due by 30 September 2018.

Department for Education: Apprentices

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the workforce at the Department for Education were undertaking apprenticeships at the end of March 2018.

lord agnew of oulton: At the end of March 2018, 2.9 per cent of the department’s workforce were undertaking an apprenticeship. The Civil Service has pledged to deliver 2.3 per cent of the workforce in England as apprenticeship starts annually. The department met its target in 2017/18.

Ministry of Justice

Funerals: Children

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish further details on how the Children's Funeral Fund for England will operate; and if so, when.

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Children's Family Fund for England will cover the same expenses as those covered by the Social Fund Funeral Payment.

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Children's Funeral Fund for England will cover costs for burial and cremation fees in any cemetery or crematorium chosen by bereaved parents, including church, private or woodland-based funerals; and if not, whether the parents' choice will be restricted by virtue of cost.

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Children's Funeral Fund for England will cover the cost of any memorial, religious, or church servicebefore the cremation or burial taking place.

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Children's Funeral Fundfor England will cover the full cost when parents choose to bury their child in an adult burial space with extended grave rights, rather than a child-sized burial space.

lord keen of elie: The Government is committed to ensuring that all families who lose a child are given the support they need. That is why we have announced the establishment of a Children’s Funeral Fund for England, with the intention that no bereaved family will have to pay for the essential costs of burying or cremating their child. The detailed policy is under development and will be announced in due course.

Young Offenders: Speech and Language Disorders

lord ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Youth Justice Board about the recommendations in the report by I CAN and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists,Bercow: Ten Years On, published on 20 March.

lord keen of elie: To date, we have not discussed the ‘Bercow: Ten Years On’ report, with the Youth Justice Board. We acknowledge the findings of the report and we are clear that all young people should be able to effectively engage with the justice system, regardless of their particular needs. Over the past three years MoJ and the YJB have supported a national project, led by the Department for Education, to deliver special educational needs and disability (SEND) awareness training to the youth justice workforce. The Youth Justice SEND Bubble programme offered free training to Youth Justice System professionals, supporting them to effectively identify and meet children’s special educational and disability needs and allowing them to work towards more effective engagement and positive long-term outcomes.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Homelessness

lord hunt of chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provision by local authorities of health, social and fitness programmes connected to accommodation for homeless people; and what funding they provide to support such programmes.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is determined to prevent and reduce the levels of homelessness, and provide people with all the support they need to rebuild their lives.Whilst we have made no specific assessment, we know the importance of taking a truly holistic approach to tackling homelessness. It is for this reason we have established a cross government taskforce, whose membership includes the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which will develop a strategy to end rough sleeping, before looking at wider homelessness issues. We have also launched pilots of Housing First in key regions to put some of the most hard-to-reach rough sleepers in accommodation and help them recover from complex health issues, for example substance abuse and mental health difficulties.This builds on important action the government has taken to tackle homelessness, including implementing the Homelessness Reduction Act, which means more people will get the help they need sooner, and providing over £1.2 billion to prevent and reduce homelessness and rough sleeping through to 2020.

Ministry of Defence

Afghanistan: Taliban

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk from attack by the Taliban on Afghan interpreters who have worked for the UK or its allies; how low they estimate such risk to be in Kabul in particular; and what evidence they use to make such assessments.

earl howe: There have been a number of recent attacks in Kabul by the Taleban or other terrorist groups causing tragically large scale loss of life. These have generally been targeted at Afghan security personnel and buildings. We are aware of no attacks in Kabul targeted against our former local staff leading to loss of life or significant injury. All claims of intimidation by former staff are investigated on an individual basis by an expert UK team based in Kabul; this includes a police officer appropriately trained and experienced in criminal investigation. The UK is the only nation with such a team and have now supported over 450 former staff. Where there is a threat that is linked to their former UK employment, we will take steps to address this threat, either through security advice, relocation in country or, if neither of these will address the threat, by allowing the individual and their immediate family to apply for relocation to the UK. The threat level for both Kabul and Afghanistan as a whole is kept under review by the FCO and MOD experts.

Armed Forces: Interpreters

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking with allies and relevant international bodies to improve the protection of translators and interpreters in conflict and post-conflict zones.

earl howe: Her Majesty's Government consistently uses its influence within multilateral bodies, including the UN Security Council, and bilaterally with foreign governments and other actors to urge all state and non-state actors to increase protection for their civilians in, and after, conflict situations. Interpreters and translators are, like all civilians, entitled to protection during armed conflict under international humanitarian law.

Armed Forces: Interpreters

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to keep a register of personnel they employ as interpreters in conflict or post-conflict zones and to record the details of any deaths of or injuries sustained by such personnel.

earl howe: The Ministry of Defence no longer directly employs local staff in high risk operational areas.

Department for Work and Pensions

Hearing Impairment: Telecommunications

lord bruce of bennachie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given tosetting up a free-to-access video relay service for public services in England; and what assessment they have made of the take-up of such services in Scotland.

baroness buscombe: British Sign Language (BSL) users already have a well-established, free-to-access Video Relay Service network allowing accessible communication with a range of public services in England, including the Department for Work and Pensions, NHS providers and Local Authorities. Equality legislation means that public bodies and others have to provide services in BSL and other formats when it is reasonable to do so and the Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies to have due regard to the needs of all those with protected characteristics. BSL is a devolved matter and the Scottish Parliament decided to introduce the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act and have different arrangements to England and Wales. We are looking at developments in Scotland including the take-up of such services to inform our thinking for England and Wales.

Government Departments: Sign Language

lord bruce of bennachie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they recognise sign language as a valid and legal means of communication with all Government departments.

baroness buscombe: British Sign Language (BSL) was recognised as a language in its own right by the UK Government in March 2003. All Government departments are under a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments when communicating with disabled people, which might include the provision of BSL interpreters.

Sign Language

lord bruce of bennachie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to support any proposed legislation to give recognition to British and Irish Sign Language on the same basis as Welsh, Gaelic and Cornish.

baroness buscombe: The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005, recognise the Welsh and Gaelic languages respectively and provide for the status of the languages in each of those devolved territories. The Cornish language was recognised by the Government in 2002 under the Council of Europe’s European Charter for Regional or Minority languages.The Government already recognises British Sign Language as a language in its own right. The Equality Act 2010 also places a duty on public bodies, employers, and service providers to provide services in BSL and other formats when it is reasonable to do so. In addition the Public Sector Equality Duty also requires public bodies to have due regard to the needs of all those with protected characteristics. We do not believe that any additional legislation would add to that

Sign Language

lord bruce of bennachie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they spend in supporting sign language users across the UK.

baroness buscombe: The information requested to answer the question in full, is not centrally available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Natural Gas: Engineers

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve the training of gas engineers.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the standards of gas safety in the UK.

baroness buscombe: The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require that anyone employed to work on domestic gas systems is competent. An individual is deemed competent following successful completion of an industry-recognised training course and an assessment of their skills. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) working with the gas industry’s Standards Setting Body has supported the implementation of the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) standard IGEM/IG/1 Standards of training in gas work (attached). IGEM/IG/1 sets out the requirements for training in gas work, and will ensure that only those engineers who have completed an approved industry recognised training course will have access to the Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) assessment of competence. Passing such assessment, or an Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (OFQUAL) regulated National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), enables an engineer to be considered as competent and apply for Gas Safe registration. HSE assesses standards of gas safety through published figures on gas-related incidents in Great Britain (attached). These are reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations (RIDDOR). This and further information can also be found in the Cross-Government Group on Gas Safety and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness’ annual report for 2016/2017 (attached). The Group ensures a joined-up approach across departments, the devolved administrations and other governmental bodies to improve gas safety and tackle CO risks from all fuels.



Standards of training in gas work 
(PDF Document, 3.38 MB)




Gas-related incidents in Great Britain 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 238 KB)




Gas Safety and Carbon Monoxide Awareness 
(PDF Document, 534.05 KB)

Industrial Health and Safety: Artificial Intelligence

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which section 6 of the Health and Safetyat Work etc. Act 1974 applies to artificial intelligence or machine learning software that is used in the workplace to (1) control or animate physical things in the workplace, (2) design articles for use in the workplace, or (3) support human decision-making processes running on computers under the control of the employer with an impact on people's health and safety; and whether, in each case, testing regimes exist as set out in section 6(1)(b) of that Act.

baroness buscombe: Section 6 of the Health and safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places duties on any person who designs, manufacturers, imports or supplies any article for use at work to ensure that it will be safe and without risks to health, which applies to artificial intelligence and machine learning software. Section 6(1)(b) requires such testing and examination as may be necessary to ensure that any article for use at work is safe and without risks but does not specify specific testing regimes. It is for the designer, manufacturer, importer or supplier to develop tests that are sufficient to demonstrate that their product is safe. The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Foresight Centre monitors developments in artificial intelligence to identify potential health and safety implications for the workplace over the next decade. The Centre reports that there are likely to be increasing numbers of automated systems in the workplace, including robots and artificial intelligence. HSE will continue to monitor the technology as it develops and will respond appropriately on the basis of risk.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Lead: Ammunition

lord krebs: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take to reduce the poisoning of humans and animals through ingesting lead ammunition deposited by public bodies or third parties acting under contract or licence from public bodies.

lord gardiner of kimble: Through the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (England) Regulations 1999, the use of lead shot ammunition is restricted to protect waterfowl from lead poisoning. Its use is banned on all foreshores, certain Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and for the shooting of all ducks and geese, coot and moorhen. The supply of lead weights for fishing is also prohibited. Natural England is fully compliant with these regulations on the land which it manages. The Forestry Commission voluntarily decided to use non-lead alternatives on the public forest estate for the control of deer and wild boar. From November 2016 onwards all the venison processed through Forest Enterprise England (FEE) larders will have been culled with non-lead ammunition.

Fisheries: Quotas

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made on sharing unused cod and other fisheries quotas with inshore fishermen.

lord gardiner of kimble: I refer the Noble Baroness to the written response I gave to question HL 6504 on 12 April 2018.

Home Office

Immigration: Private Sector

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government which functions of the immigration department of the Home Office are carried out by private contractors; and in each case, who are those contractors.

baroness williams of trafford: Details of the immigration department’s contracts with private contractors are included in the table below: UK Immigration EnforcementService NameService DescriptionContractor NameImmigration Removal CentreContract for the provision of operation, management and maintenance of the Colnbrook and Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centres.Mitie Care and CustodyImmigration Removal CentreContract for the provision of operation, management and maintenance of the Brook House Immigration Removal Centre.G4SImmigration Removal CentreContract for the provision of operation, management and maintenance of the Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre.G4SImmigration Removal CentreContract for the provision of operation, management and maintenance of the Yarl's wood Immigration Removal Centre.SercoImmigration Removal CentreContract for the provision of operation, management and maintenance of the Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre.Mitie Care and CustodyImmigration Removal CentreContract for the provision of operation, management and maintenance of the Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre.GEOPre-Departure Accommodation Welfare ServicesContract for the provision of Pre-Departure Accommodation Welfare Services WelfareG4SEscorting ServicesContract for the provision of In-country and Overseas Escorting, operation and management of Short Term Holding Facilities and Holding Rooms and related servicesMitie Care and CustodyTravel ServicesServices Agreement for the provision of Travel Services for immigration purposes.Carlson Wagonlit UK Ltd  UK Visas and ImmigrationService NameService DescriptionContractor NameCOMPASS London & SouthAsylum Accommodation, Transport and Support ServicesClearsprings Ready HomesCOMPASS South West & WalesAsylum Accommodation, Transport and Support ServicesClearsprings Ready HomesCOMPASS Midlands & East of EnglandAsylum Accommodation, Transport and Support ServicesG4SCOMPASS North East, Yorkshire & HumberAsylum Accommodation, Transport and Support ServicesG4SCOMPASS North WestAsylum Accommodation, Transport and Support ServicesSercoCOMPASS Scotland & Northern IrelandAsylum Accommodation, Transport and Support ServicesSercoLife in the UK TestAdministration of Life in the UK TestPSI Services UK LtdSecure English Language TestConduct secure English language testing servicesTrinity College IELTS ConsortiumDigital AssistingAssisted digital service for customersWe Are DigitalEducation assessmentAssessment of educational evidence from customersEcctis LtdNext generation of VisasProvision of international visa application centresTeleperformance VF WorldwideBiometric data capture in UKBiometric data capture in UKPost Office Sopra SteriaLogistics of biometric residency permit cardsLogistics of biometric residency permit cardsPost Office DX SecureFinancial CheckFinancial checkExperian IndesserContact centreContact Service centre for customersSitelAsylum ChildcareChildcare services for asylum seeker interviews in GlasgowLittle Stars NurseryAsylum ChildcareChildcare services for asylum seeker interviews in NewcastleHeaton Community CentreAsylum ChildcareChildcare services for asylum seeker interviews in LiverpoolBizz KidsAsylum ChildcareChildcare services for asylum seeker interviews in SolihullMobile Creche Company LtdAsylum ChildcareChildcare services for asylum seeker interviews in CardiffSouth Riverside Community Development Centre LtdAsylum ChildcareChildcare services for asylum seeker interviews in CroydonPre-School Learning AllianceAsylum Support PaymentsPayment of support to eligible applicantsSodexo Motivation Solutions LtdLanguage AnalysisAnalysis of language for asylum applicantsVerified ABLanguage AnalysisAnalysis of language for asylum applicantsSkandinnavisk SprakanalysAB (Sprakab)Consolidated Asylum Support Application Service (CASAS)Assistance for asylum applicants for the completion of their initial applicationMigrant Helpline LtdAdult Victims of Modern SlaveryAdult victims of modern slavery care and co-ordination servicesThe Salvation Army

Immigration Controls

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the reasons someone might be banned from re-entry to the UK following voluntary departure, in addition to those listed in the guidance published in April 2017; whether there is provision for a discretionary ban on re-entry to the UK when no published criteria for a ban apply; and what is the scope of discretion as regards the length of the ban.

baroness williams of trafford: All of the reasons why a person may be subject to a re-entry ban and the associated length of the ban are clearly outlined within the following guidance published on Gov.UK on 6 April 2017.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/606970/GI-Re-entry-bans-v7.pdfThe guidance is based on paragraphs A320 and 320(7B) of the Immigration Rules which set out the general grounds on which entry clearance or leave to enter the UK is to be refused.



Assets - Re-entry bans 
(PDF Document, 74.47 KB)

Slavery

lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in each of the last five calendar years, what percentage of victims of modern slavery who have made an application for discretionary leave to remain following a positive National Referral Mechanism conclusive grounds decision (excluding those non-EEAnational victims who were considered for discretionary leave on the grounds of their personal circumstances automatically) have received a decision about the discretionary leave within (1) 45 days, (2) eight weeks, and (3) six months.

lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average length of time for a victim of modern slavery to wait for a decision following an application for discretionary leave to remainin the calendar years 2016 and 2017.

lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the customer service standard target time for making a decision on an application for discretionary leave to remain.

baroness williams of trafford: All applications for discretionary leave made by victims of modern slavery are considered on a case by case basis and processing times vary with complexity of individual circumstance.The Home Office does not publish data on the processing times for such applications. As part of the ongoing reform of the National Referral Mechanism, changes will be made to ensure a quicker, more certain decision making process that victims have confidence in and which may include customer service standards.

Asylum: Religious Buildings

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving to places of worship that provide sanctuary for asylum seekers regardless of their immigration status.

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action, if any, they have taken against churches or other organisations for supporting failed asylum seekers.

baroness williams of trafford: We welcome the important contribution that voluntary, charitable and non-governmental organisations make to the UK asylum system and believe the best way to support those who have been refused asylum and who have no lawful basis to remain in the UK is in helping them to leave the UK voluntarily and reintegrate into their communities in their country of origin.The Home Office does not fund or take action against churches or other places of worship that offer support to failed asylum seekers.

Asylum: Croydon

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many asylum interviews were held at the Croydon premium service centre in each of the last six months.

baroness williams of trafford: The Croydon Premium Service Centre does not deal with any Asylum cases.

Asylum

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were prosecuted in (1) 2016, and (2) 2017, for assisting asylum seekers whose claims had failed.

baroness williams of trafford: In the period requested, there were no prosecutions for those assisting asylum seekers whose claims had failed.

Asylum

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many asylum claims are currently waiting to be processed.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office publishes data on the number of asylum cases pending a decision at the end of each quarter in table as_01_q (asylum, volume 1) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release.The latest figures show the total number of asylum cases pending a decision at the end of March 2018 was 24,593. Of this total, the number pending an initial decision was 22,100. The data can be found at the link below:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/709299/asylum1-mar-2018-tables.ods



Tables as_o1_q - Asylum vol 1 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 2.27 MB)

Homicide: Reoffenders

lord tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 July 2017, how many people were killed by individuals who had previously been convicted of murder or manslaughter, in each of the last ten years for which figures are available.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office Homicide Index holds data on the number of people in England and Wales who have been killed by persons who have been previously convicted of homicide. The information is given in the table. Table 1: Number of homicides in England and Wales known to have been committed by suspects who had been previously convicted of homicide1,2,3 , 2007/08 to 2016/17England and Wales   2007/082008/092009/102010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/162016/17   Number of homicide victims53210436545   1. Source: Homicide Index, Home Office   2. Homicide Index data are designated as National Statistics 3. As at 16 November 2017; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available.The figure excludes persons who have been killed by those who may have been convicted outside England and Wales (for whom there is incomplete information), and persons who have been killed by those not previously convicted of homicide by reason of their mental state.

Cabinet Office

Electoral Register: Data Protection

lord gilbert of panteg: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review secondary legislation on access to electoral registers to ensure that the Data Protection Bill, once in force, will not negatively affect the use by elected representatives or political parties of the electoral register for the purposes of democratic engagement.

lord young of cookham: The Government will review existing legislation on access to electoral registers to ensure elected representatives and political parties can continue to use the electoral register for the purposes of democratic engagement. This reflects the commitment by Ministers during the Data Protection Bill (HL Deb, 14 May 2018, Col. 418). We will also engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel.

Department for International Trade

Arms Trade: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what categories of arms were sold to Israel in the last two years for which data are available; and whether they included sniper rifles or the component parts of sniper rifles.

baroness fairhead: Sales data by region for military exports are published annually on GOV.UK. at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-defence-and-security-export-figures-2016/uk-defence-and-security-export-statistics-for-2016.The Government also publishes Official Statistics about export licences issued and refused (on a quarterly and annual basis) of licences granted and refused for military exports on GOV.UK. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. These can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.The data, which includes export values for some licence types, currently provides details of licences up to 31 December 2017. Information about the period 1 January to 31 March 2018 will be published on 17 July 2018.The Official Statistics show that over the last two years one licence was issued for four “sniper rifles” and “components for sniper rifles” for an Israeli defence manufacturer to test ammunition.All export licences are issued in strict accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.